


Daria's Graduation Trip

by Son_of_a_Preacherman



Series: Daria's Creek [5]
Category: Daria (Cartoon), Dawson's Creek
Genre: Absent Characters, Babysitting, Bed & Breakfast, Documentaries, Gen, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Photography, Summer Vacation, Summer break, Tourism, summer job
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 11,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23211226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Son_of_a_Preacherman/pseuds/Son_of_a_Preacherman
Summary: After graduating from Lawndale High, Daria decides to visit Capeside before starting college. In so doing, she becomes enmeshed in the Creek Gang's adventures. This includes (among other things) a long lost relative, a summer job, a project Dawson is working on (if he can stop brooding for five minutes) and dealing with tourists, if she can put up with them. Maybe Jane can help with that.Pacey and Joey are away for the summer, but they cast a big shadow. The others will miss them. A lot.
Series: Daria's Creek [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1464124
Collections: Preacherverse





	1. Well, this is Awkward

**Author's Note:**

> This story picks up where my last story, Alternate season 3, left off.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daria walks in on Dawson and Jen doing something stupid. Jen runs off and Daria tells Dawson some important truths.

(Stand alone version)

Daria had graduated from Lawndale High. That was over. The next part of her life, college, didn’t start for another few months. So she had some time to kill. She decided to take a trip to Capeside, this time by herself. She told her family, but she didn’t tell anyone in Capeside because she wanted to surprise them. Funnily enough, she was actually looking forward to catching up with Joey, and maybe Dawson and a couple of the others. She couldn’t remember the last time she had looked forward to anything.

* * *

From the bus station, she walked to Joey’s house. When she knocked on the door, it seemed unusually quiet. Bessie answered the door. She looked somewhat annoyed.

“Joey’s not home right now. She’s at the Leery’s for the wedding”

Apparently Dawson’s parents were getting remarried or something. That was just what this trip needed. Daria hated weddings. But by the time she rowed up to the Leery family dock, it was over. The aftermath was still visible from the decorations, table settings and half empty wine glasses, but everyone had already left. Daria decided to climb up to Dawson’s window via the ladder. After all, that’s what it was there for ( _honestly, does no one ever get robbed in this town_ , Daria thought as she climbed up the ladder). When Daria climbed into Dawson’s room, there was no one else there. It was slightly unnerving to be in someone’s room, without them there. Daria silently observed how different the room looked compared with the last time she was there. Gone were the movie posters. Instead, the walls were blank, save for an artistic poster Jane would’ve gotten a kick out of, were she there. Daria wondered if she should have invited Jane to join her on this journey, when two bodies came crashing through the door. It was Dawson and Jen and they were kissing, quite passionately. So passionately in fact, they didn’t notice Daria immediately. It wasn’t until they threw themselves onto the bed, they even realized they weren’t alone. They then craned their heads around to notice her standing there, silently.

After several uncomfortable seconds, Daria finally said “Well, this is awkward”

* * *

Jen raced out of the room, mortified at what had just taken place. Dawson, meanwhile was quite content to stand up and face Daria, suppressing his own embarrassment. Finally he spoke.

“So, what brings you back to Capeside?”

“I just graduated from high school and figured a trip was in order. I didn’t think I needed an invitation”

“You don’t, but you’re timing was...”

“Terrible?” Daria offered

“I suppose that adjective is as good as any” Dawson replied diplomatically

“Do you want to tell me what I just walked in on?”

“Its a long story” Dawson said, stalling

“I have all summer, if need be” Daria replied firmly

“Alright, remember our road trip to Lawndale, and how awkward Joey and I were around each other?”

“Go on...” Daria probed

Dawson relayed a condensed version of the past year’s events to Daria. How Pacey and Joey had developed feelings for one another. How they had, in his mind, carried on an affair behind he and Andie for weeks. How it had all blown up at the Anti-Prom and things had spiraled out of control from there. Finally, how he had told her to go after Pacey and the two of them had sailed off into the sunset together, and a heartbroken Dawson and Jen had found each other and started kissing, probably not for very good reasons.

“… and I think that’s where you came in” He concluded

Daria absorbed everything Dawson had just said

“Well, what do you think?” Dawson finally said, impatiently

“Dawson, I have three things to tell you and you’re not going to like them”

“I take it this is going to involve your signature brutal honesty”

“Exactly. First off, Joey is a grown woman. She’s not a prize to be won, or an object to be stolen...”

“I know that. I just...”

“Don’t always act like it” Daria suggested

Dawson didn’t say anything, so Daria continued

“Second, how long have the three of you known each other?”

“Well, I’ve known Pacey for about ten years, and Joey for a few more years than that”

“And are you sure you want to throw away that many years of friendship over this?”

After a few seconds, Dawson finally said “I don’t know”

“Luckily, you have until the end of summer to decide. Which brings me to my final point. I was on the other side of this equation once. I kinda, sorta, stole Jane’s boyfriend out from under her, completely unintentionally of course. That side sucks too. No one sets out to hurt anyone and there’s a lot of guilt and shame that comes along with feelings that seem to betray a friendship. But if you can get past it, have some empathy for the two of them, and give them your blessing, it would go a long way”

“I’m not ready to...”

“As I said, you have time. Now, I’m going to have a chat with my number one fan. You have a lot to think about.”


	2. My Number 1 Fan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daria confronts Jen and Jen stops hero worshiping Daria, sort of.

As Daria walked out, she saw someone, but couldn’t remember his name.

“Daria?” he said, somewhat surprised

“Jane” she replied jokingly

“It’s Jack actually”

“Of course it is” she said sarcastically, and walked out

Jack then entered Dawson’s bedroom

“Was that…?” he began

“The misery chick herself” Dawson declared

“What did you guys talk about?”

“Well, after she stopped me and Jen from doing anything silly, she honestly and succinctly summed up my current situation.”

“So, are you feeling better?”

“Not really, but I am thinking more clearly and...” Dawson stopped as he noticed something on his desk. It was a still camera his parents had bought him for Christmas a few years ago. He went to pick it up.

“Jack, do you feel like going for a drive?”

“Sure, where to?”

“Memory lane”

* * *

Daria knocked on the front door, and a familiar face opened the door. She knew this woman was Jen’s grandmother, but didn’t knew her name”

“Mrs Lindley, is it?”

“Ryan, dear”

“Your name is Ryan Lindley?” Daria said, somewhat surprised

“My name is Evelyn Ryan” and surprise turned to embarrassment

“I take it you’re here to see Jennifer. She’s upstairs”

Mrs Ryan then showed Daria inside and pointed her in the direction of Jen’s bedroom.

“Jennifer, you have a visitor” she yelled upstairs

“Thank you, Grams” she yelled back

Daria could hear music coming from Jen’s room. The song was _Seether_ by Veruca Salt.

When Daria opened the door to Jen’s bedroom, she was shocked to see what Jen was wearing.

A yellow t-shirt, a green hoodie, zipped about halfway up, a black mini-skirt (non-pleated), fishnet stockings and black boots.

It wasn’t identical to Daria’s trademark outfit, which she was currently wearing, but the similarities were obvious.

“I thought you were done copying me” Daria said in her usual monotone. But the accusation in her voice was clear

“Me too, mostly. But I couldn’t resist”

“Do you know why I dress this way?” Daria asked her

“Not really” Jen admitted

“To be unique. But if you dress the same way, it somewhat defeats the purpose, doesn’t it”

“I see your point, I’ll change” Jen conceded, adding “I can change the music too if you like”

“No, its alright. I actually like it” Daria replied

Daria helped Jen remove her boots, then turned around.

“Now, then...” Daria asked, while Jen was changing “Do you want to explain what I walked in on just now?”

“You can turn around now” Jen said. When Daria did so, she saw Jen wearing a white T-shirt and Jeans. Daria gave a half smile of approval.

Jen then began explaining the events of the past year to Daria.


	3. Memory Lane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dawson and Jack visit the old fort. Jack gives Dawson a more sympathetic talk than Daria did.

Dawson and Pacey’s old fort was now in the middle of a construction site. However, it was a weekend, so there was no construction work happening that day. Jack pulled up just outside it.

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Dawson?” Jack asked

“C’mon, Jack” Dawson said, snapping photos with the camera in his hands “There’s no one here. There’s no fence, no warning sign. Worst case scenario, security catch us and ask us to leave”

They entered the work site and finally found the fort. It hadn’t been paved over, yet. Dawson took as many photos as he could.

Then the found a tree that Dawson, Pacey and Will had carved their initials into years ago. Instead of taking a picture of it, Dawson traced his hand over it. He then slumped down and started crying.

Jack then crouched down next to Dawson and stroked the back of his shoulders to comfort him

Dawson then composed himself

“Daria thinks I’m being selfish. I think she has a point”

“Dawson” Jack began, taking a breath “Your feelings are completely understandable, under the circumstances”

“But...” Dawson asked, tentatively

“But you’ll eventually have to figure what to do when Pacey and Joey get back. Luckily, you have the summer to figure it out”

“What about you, Andie, and Jen?”

“What about us?” Jack didn’t understand

“Are you going to take sides, once they get back?”

“Dawson, I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m not going to take sides, and I can’t imagine Jen would either. Andie on the other hand...”

“She’s kind of automatically on my side. By virtue of how things went down” Dawson realized

“But she did give them her blessing, before they left” Jack pointed out

“And is the implication that I should too?” Dawson asked, realizing this conversation was becoming similar to the last one.

“I can’t decide that for you. You’ll have to figure that out for yourself. But whatever you decide, I’ll still be your friend. But I’ll also be theirs” Jack said matter-of-factly

“Fair enough” Dawson said, contemplating the implications of such a statement

Jack then decided to change the subject.

“So, we should probably get going. I need to put in an appearance this evening, and you should too”

“Why, what’s so special about tonight?” Dawson asked

“Oh, that’s right. I forgot to tell you. Jen’s mom is paying a visit to the house. It’ll probably be awkward, so the more people there, the better”

“Fair enough. It’ll probably help take my mind of things”

* * * * *


	4. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jen gets more than she expected with a family dinner, when she discovers she has a long lost sister. Daria tries to slink away, but someone stops her.

Andie knocked on the door. Grams answered.

“Jennifer is upstairs, with another friend. Remind her that her mother is coming tonight and I expect her to be ready”

“Yes, Grams” Andie replied, and then walked up to Jen’s room

Andie could hear music coming from Jen’s bedroom. The song was _Volcano Girls_ by Veruca Salt

As Andie entered the bedroom, someone other than Jen was talking.

“Polyamory is actually normal in a lot of cultures. Ours, however, isn’t one of them. I see no reason why it couldn’t have worked” It was Daria that was speaking

“Other than he said _no_ ” Jen retorted

“Other than that” Daria replied

“Oh my god, Daria. Long time no see. How are you?” Andie said, excitedly and went to hug her, but then withdrew, upon remembering Daria didn’t hug.

“Well, I've finished High School and I have time to kill”

“I take it you guys were discussing the Will and Jack situation”

“Something like that” Daria retorted

“Well, Grams asked me to remind you that your mother is coming for dinner and you need to get ready”

“Did she say when?” Jen asked, clearly uncomfortable at the idea of seeing her mother.

Just then, they heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. A shiver went down Jen’s spine.

* * *

Fortunately for Jen, the car was not her mother’s, but Jack’s. Dawson was with him. As the two of them got out of the car, they saw Grams setting up the outdoor furniture for dinner. The weather was so nice and this was to be a special dinner, so Grams figured it should be outside. Andie, Jen and Daria then ventured downstairs to help, once they saw what was happening out of Jen’s window. However, before they got the chance, Jen caught sight of her mother. The two of them locked eyes and started at each other for what seemed like an eternity. They were so engrossed, they didn’t notice Grams returning inside the house to recruit Daria and Andie to help set things up. Grams figured she could catch up with her daughter later. Right now, she and Jen needed to talk.

* * *

Just as everyone was sitting down to eat (Dawson, Jack, Andie, Jen, Grams, Helen (Jen’s mom) and Daria), Jen and Helen were heading toward the table to sit down, but before they could, a young woman came in through the gate. The woman was tall, blonde, about a couple of years older than the teens and had a sultry and mysterious quality.

“Are you Evelyn Ryan” she asked Helen, in a curious, if slightly playful tone

“I’m her daughter” she said

“I’m Evelyn” Grams said

“Then you must be Helen” the women said, her voice equally vulnerable and intriguing

“And that would make you…?” Jen asked

“I, I think I’m, your daughter” She said to Helen

The song _Eve_ by Chantal Kreviazuk begins to play

Everyone’s jaws hit the floor, except Daria, whose eyes rolled. She thought about getting up to leave. Realizing this, Andie grabbed her arm to prevent her escape.

“Then I guess that would make you my sister” Jen said

“Eve Whitman” she said, finally introducing herself. She shook Jen’s hand, thus creating a bond between the two of them.

At this point, Dawson stood up and said something no one expected

“Wait, don’t I know you from somewhere?”

“Does that line usually work?” Eve said, seductively, practically leaning over him

“No, I’m sure of it. You were a hitchhiker in New Jersey, last year. Pacey and I picked you up and drove you for a while. You were heading to New York, so we dropped you off as close as we could. Why were you heading to New...” Dawson finally realized, as did everyone else and all eyes turned to Helen "York". She stood up as everyone sat down and she took a deep breath. She tried to hide the shame in her eyes, but it was quite obvious to Grams and Jen at least.

“It was a couple of years before I met your father. I was in my final year of college. One day, I felt sick, so I took a home pregnancy test and it was positive. I was only 20 and no where near ready to raise a child. Once my boyfriend found out, he disappeared. I’m sorry I should have told you mom, but I was so ashamed...” She stopped short of crying, but took a moment to compose herself.

“So I did the only thing I could think of. I put you up for adoption. But the birth records were sealed, so I don’t understand how...”

“I broke into the registrar’s office and stole the records”

Everyone looked at Eve disapprovingly, except Jen and Daria, who were somewhat impressed.

After several awkward seconds, Dawson decided to break the tension, by asking a question.

“So Eve, what do you do for a living?”

“I’m a dancer. I was working at a club in Atlantic City, but then I got fired. So I hitched a ride to New York and got a job there, but then I had a little trouble with the law, as I mentioned, so now I’m sorta between things"

“What kind of Dancer?” Jack asked, not having spoken for a while

“The kind you need to be over 18 to see” Eve said, in a somewhat flirtatious tone

Several more seconds of awkward silence

“Well, you’re more than welcome to stay with me and Jennifer until you get back on your feet” Grams said, in a tone that indicated disapproval for her profession, but not her as a person.

“You can stay in my room” Jen offered, genuinely excited about the prospect of having a sister.

“So, Daria...” Andie began, shifting the focus of the conversation

“You’ve finished High School, right?”

“That’s right” she replied, succinctly

“Did you get into College?” Jack asked

“Yeah, Raft” she answered

“That’s a pretty prestigious school, congratulations” Andie said, and she meant it

“And your boyfriend?” Dawson asked, nosily

“That pretty much ran its course”

“I’m sorry” Dawson said, sympathetically

“I’m not” Daria replied half-hardheartedly

* * *

After dinner, they were all putting the dishes in the kitchen. Daria pulled Andie aside to ask her a question.

“Hey Andie. So, Jen has a new sister, and that’s great and all. And Dawson is...”

“Brooding, sulking, whining?” She offered

“Yeah, that, plus reminding me of...”

“Of what?”

“Its not important. The point is, I can’t stay with him while this is going on, or Jen and Joey isn’t home right now, so...”

“Of course you can stay with me” Andie replied “I’m sure my Dad won’t mind”


	5. Reconciliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daria spends the night at Andie's place. Meanwhile, two characters reconcile.

On the car ride back to the McPhee house, Andie brought up something she’d been thinking for a while.

“You know, I’m not surprised Jen attached herself to someone like you” Andie proclaimed

“What do you mean?” Daria was confused, but intrigued

“Well, like Jack, you’re very insightful. Also, you didn’t meet Abby but she was also brutally honest. But unlike you, she was mean”

“I’ve been known to be mean” Daria insisted “But only to people that deserve it”

“I suppose that’s the difference between you and her” Andie suggested

* * *

They got back to the big empty McPhee house. At least, it had seemed empty, ever since…

“This is your house?” Daria remarked with mild shock

“Yeah, why?”

“It’s just really...”

“Big, fancy, showy?” Andie offered

“Ostentatious” Daria concluded

Once they got in the door, Andie introduced Daria to her father, who was there waiting for him. He barely even acknowledged Daria, he was so distracted.

“I need to get a hold of your brother, Andie. Do you know where I can reach him?”

“Dad, you know where Jack is” she replied firmly

“Oh, you want me to...” she said, realizing what he was actually asking.

She then picked up the phone and dialed a number.

“Hello, Mrs Ryan. Can I talk to Jack please?”

…

“Jack, there’s someone here who wants to speak to you” she passed the phone to her father and then simply walked off, escorting Daria to her room, leaving Jack and her dad to sort out their issues.

* * *

And then it was Daria’s turn to be nosy.

“So, I’ve heard a few different versions of what happened over the past few months, but I’m yet to hear yours” Daria said, with mild curiosity

“I thought you didn’t care?” Andie said, remembering their conversation during Daria’s last visit

“Normally I wouldn’t, but now that I’ve finished high school, I’m trying something new” Daria said matter-of-factly

“Good, I’m glad” Andie said sincerely, and then explained her version of what had transpired since the last visit. How Joey had finally urged her to come clean with Pacey about her indiscretion. How after being angry, he forgave her, but then sort of started a thing with Joey behind her back, maybe kind of. How it had all blown up at the Anti-Prom, and Dawson had attacked Pacey, but Andie quickly forgave them and encouraged them to be together, and then they sailed off into the sunset.

Daria took a moment to digest everything.

“Why?” she finally asked

“Which part”

“Why forgive them and encourage them. Didn’t you want to hold onto your relationship?”

“Yeah, but I screwed up, so maybe I brought it on myself, karma and all that. Maybe this was my way of making it up to them. Besides, its like that saying ‘if you love someone, set them free...’”

“I think I understand” Daria said, with no particular empathy, but she realized that were some disturbing parallels to her own experiences.

“Your room looks different. Have you redecorated?” Daria asked, changing the subject

“Different room” Andie stated “This used to be my mom’s room. Its bigger than mine and I don’t think she’ll be needing it anytime soon”

“How is your mom?” Daria asked, again without empathy, but more curiosity

“She’s still in the home in Providence. I try to see her as often as I can. Which isn’t nearly often enough. Her condition hasn’t changed”

Daria decided to drop the subject and go to bed.

“How are you getting home” Andie asked

“Catching a bus” Daria explained

“From the Bus station?”

“I’m assuming there’s only one” Andie nodded in response

“It’s not that big a town. What time?”

“11am”

“Can I offer you a ride?” Andie offered

“Sure thing” Daria replied, with as much sincerity as she could muster, and then the two went to sleep


	6. Decisions, Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andie has a proposal for Daria. It involves staying in Capeside for a while longer.

Daria and Andie woke up quite early, to make sure they wouldn’t be late.

“Do you have any luggage?” Andie asked

“I didn’t bring any” Daria replied

They stopped by the Ryan/Lindley household to pick up Mrs Lindley. Andie got out of the car, but Daria stayed inside. She watched Andie knock on the front door, and Mrs Ryan answer. Mrs Lindley soon followed. Daria thought she sensed some tension, but figured it was none of her business. Soon, Andie returned to the car empty handed.

“It seems Mrs Lindley is staying an extra few days, to get to know her new daughter”

“And how’s that going?” Daria asked, somewhat sarcastically, then chided herself for doing so

“Its a bit awkward, but apparently Jen and Eve are getting along famously”

* * *

Upon arriving at the bus station, Daria checked in at the service counter, then waited with Andie in the bus bay.

“Where are you going to college?” Daria asked, breaking the silence

“I’m applying to Harvard, Stanford and Oxford, but my safeties are Cambridge and Dartmouth”

“Ambitious” Daria remarked, sounding slightly impressed.

“Maybe we’ll end up going to college in the same city” Andie suggested

“Maybe” Daria offered awkwardly, when the bus pulled up. The bus said ‘ _Washington DC, via Baltimore_ ’

“Never repeat this, but I’m going to miss this town, and your friends, and you” Daria said, pausing dramatically between each item

“I’m going to miss you too, but we can always email, and call”

“Well, you have my details” Daria said somewhat standoffishly

“Actually, I have an idea” Andie said

Andie explained her idea to Daria.

_Any Lucky Penny_ by Nikki Hassman started playing

Daria considered the offer for a good ten seconds. The bus wasn’t leaving for another several minutes, so it didn’t matter.

Finally, Daria said “Look, I’m not much of a joiner”

Andie looked disappointed

After a moment, she added “But, maybe its time that changed”

And Andie’s entire demeanor also changed


	7. What have I gotten myself into?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daria accepts Andie's proposal and immediately regrets it.

Andie and Daria went back inside the building and approached the service counter. Daria was pleasantly surprised that her ticket was completely refundable, given the bus hadn’t actually left.

Then they drove over to the Potter Family B&B, to discover Bessie was super busy and stressed, exactly as Andie had predicted.

“Look girls, as you can see Joey’s not here and I’m pressed for time. So whatever it is, you’ll have to come back later”

“Actually, that’s why were here. We want to help” Andie said confidently

“I appreciate the offer, but I can’t afford to...”

“We’ll accept room and board in lieu of payment” Andie interrupted

“Well, don’t you just have everything worked out” Bessie was equally impressed and annoyed for not having thought of this herself.

“Okay, Andie, I take it you drove here. You can drive over to the Capeside visitor info centre and pick up some flyers and pamphlets”

“Anything in particular?”

“Not really. Just get a few of everything”

Andie turned around and left, noting the irony. She was heading back to the same place she had just left.

“Daria, there’s a problem with the room upstairs, third door on the left”

“What’s the problem?”

“They just said, some sort of spill or mess. Just sort it out, okay”

Bessie went back to the several things she was doing. Answering the phone, welcoming guests, helping other guests check out, making note of things that needed replacing or fixing, and the irate guests complaining about them, as well as a few other things.

Daria ascended the staircase and opened the door, to find the room empty. It was the first time in her life she had been grateful for her weak sense of smell. Yet, she still smelled what the problem was before she saw it.

Inside the room, was a double bed with a smaller, child’s bed that would normally fit underneath, positioned next to it. The child’s bed had a large stain on it. Daria could tell from the smell that it was urine, and it was her job to take care of it.

 _What have I gotten myself into?_ Daria thought to herself.


	8. This is my life now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane arrives, plus a flashback in which Daria meets a kid that reminds her of herself, somewhat.

* * * * *

The song _Inside Out_ by Eve 6 plays

It took Daria a grand total of three days to completely regret her decision. It wasn’t the back-breaking labor that took up almost every moment she was awake. It wasn’t that she was getting paid in food instead of money (actually the food wasn’t bad, she helped cook it). Nor was it the fact that she shared a room with Andie (it was actually Joey’s room, but Joey wasn’t using it). Nor was it the fact that she was working with Andie (whom Daria thought paradoxically was a combination of Jodie and Britney). Nor was it that she was working for a woman she barely knew (but Bessie did remind her of Joey).

Daria could tolerate all of these things, if not for the fact that she also had to put up with the guests. The seemingly unpleasable guests. There was always something going wrong and when it did, it was Daria’s job to fix it ( _and where is Pacey right now?_ she thought _Isn't this his job_ ). She wouldn’t mind so much if the customers were a little nicer about it (which they actually were sometimes, but there was also a **lot** of complaints). For obvious reasons, Andie and Bessie tried to minimise Daria’s contact with the guests. They mostly felt the same way about her as she did about them (there were some exceptions, we’ll get to those later).

Andie on the other hand, had a bubbly and enthusiastic personality that made her ideally suited to customer relations. That was why Bessie had her answering most inquiries about bookings, check-ins and check-outs, meals and what to do in Capeside (the Capeside tourism board was very helpful in this regard).

Daria could tell something was bothering Andie and she could guess what it was. But Daria kept her suspicions to herself. Bessie, on the other hand, was an open book. She was angry with her sister for leaving her high and dry at the height of tourist season and resented that she wasn’t here doing the jobs she’d assigned to Daria and Andie. Daria knew all of this, but said nothing. It was none of her business, she couldn't do anything about it, and on top of that, she didn’t care. At least that’s what she told herself.

* * *

A week into this, she called up Jane and begged her to come down and save her. As it was, the three of them were stretched and, even though there was no room, and no budget for another mouth to feed, they really could use the help.

“Gee, I’d love to, but I’ve already got a job. One that pays too. You can see the bind I’m in”

“What if I said that its a fascinating cross section of society?”

“So is the art store”

“What if I said that it comes with free food and board”

“Sounds good”

“But you have to help make the food”

“Sounds bad”

“But the work isn’t that hard”

“That’s good”

“But there’s a lot of it. Scarcely a moment of my day isn’t taken up by something”

“That’s bad”

“But one more person would mean the burden would be shared, meaning less work for each of us”

“Okay, I’m in”

“Really?”

“Actually, I was in from the moment you asked. I just wanted to hear you beg”

“You know me too well”

“Beside, the art store is actually way less interesting from this side of the counter”

* * *

Daria stared at the urine stain for several seconds before realizing it wasn’t going to take care of itself. She could tell what it was from the smell, but her sense of smell was so weak, that it didn’t really bother her. The real trick was going to be cleaning it without exposing any of the other guests to the smell. Fortunately, cleaning up the kid wasn’t her responsibility.

She pulled the sheets from the bed and placed them in the washing machine without being noticed. That’s that part taken care of; now the mattress. Daria then went back to the bedroom. She realised that if she took the mattress out of the room without drying it first, the other guests would smell it and there’d be hell to pay.

Just then, Daria noticed a little girl, maybe nine or ten years old standing behind her. The girl had obviously been crying, evidenced by the dried tears soaking her face. But she wasn’t crying now, and that was the main thing.

“I’m sorry” she said in a shaky voice

“About what?”

“This is all my fault” Daria then realised what she meant and the emotion she was displaying was shame.

“You’re not going to tell anyone, are you?”

“Tell you what, it can be our little secret” Daria said, leaning down and promising herself she wouldn’t bond with this girl.

“Now, can you see if you can find me a hair dryer or heater or something?”

“My mom was using a hair dryer this morning. I think its in our en-suite” Daria was impressed that the kid knew that last word, but again, no bonding. She was a customer, nothing more.

The kid raced into the bedroom and emerged with the hair dryer. Daria went to work with it.

Then there was a knock at the door. Daria handed the kid the hair dryer, and placed her index finger over her lips to indicate that she should remain silent.

Outside the door was a couple that Daria deduced was the kids’ parents.

“Is the room ready yet” One of them demanded impatiently

“Not yet” Daria said matter-of-factually

“How much longer” Still impatient and now getting annoyed

“I’ll let you know” Daria stated, succinctly and all but slammed the door on them

“Thanks for not telling on me”

“I did promise. So your parents don’t know?”

They were already gone when I woke up. I was all alone when I woke up. I told the Manager that the room needed to be cleaned.” Daria couldn’t help but feel sorry for the kid. She hoped this wouldn’t lead to empathising or even identifying with her.

The mattress was nearly dry and Daria was thinking about the next part.

“Do you want to do me a favour?”

“Sure”

“Can you run downstairs to the laundry and find me a can of air freshener?”

And she did. While she was gone, Daria noticed the bookshelf was full of books. Daria assumed these belonged to the parents. There was _1984_ , _Bram Stoker’s Dracula_ , several of _Shakespeare’s_ plays, various works by _Edgar Allan Poe_ , among other things. All way too advanced for this kid.

When she got back, Daria asked her to help her flip the mattress, which was now mostly dry.

“Now, spray that air freshener until you can’t smell the bad smell anymore”

“What smell?” the kid asked

“The smell of… pee-pee”

“You can use the real word with me” The kid insisted, now projected a maturity lacking before. Then again, its tough to seem mature when you’ve just wet the bed.

“Urine has a smell?” she added after a few seconds

Daria rolled her eyes. The universe had to be playing a prank on her.

“Kid, do you have a sense of smell?”

“You can call me Amanda, and yes, but its very weak, due to my nasal polyps” She said while spraying the can everywhere. Daria decided to keep the fact that she had something similar to herself for now.

“Your parents must love reading. This is a lot of books for them to bring on vacation” Daria observed, changing the subject.

“They’re not my parents’. They’re mine” Amanda said flatly, as if this was the most natural thing in the world.

“I would have brought more, but my parents said I could only bring one bag of books”

Daria was now certain she was the victim of a cosmic practical joke.

“You like to read, huh?” she asked

“I guess so. I’ve read all the books on your shelf” Daria said, halfheartedly, not wanting to give anything away. Daria would be a good poker player.

“Which one is your favourite?”

“Of the one’s on your shelf?” Daria thought about it for a moment “This one” she said, pointing to one of them

Amanda pulled it from the bookshelf

“Would you read it to me?”

“I’d love to, but I really need to get back to work”

The kid was putting on the puppy-dog eyes, a skill Daria had yet to master. Damn, this kid was good.

“Tell you what, I’ll do it before you check out, which is when, by the way?”

“The day after tomorrow. Did you know that there are several languages that have a word for that, but English isn’t one of them”

“In fact I did” Daria was starting to like this kid. And after all the effort she’d made not to. _Dammit_ , she thought to herself.

“But we might be coming back later in the summer” she added

* * * * *


	9. Jane to the Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane's arrive makes everything better. Dawson has an announcement, which involves Daria being his new muse. This makes Daria very confused.

* * * * *

The Everclear song _Everything to Everyone_ plays.

Jane’s arrival changed everything. For a start, there was now enough staff, although not quite enough room. Fortunately, one thing somewhat made up for the other. Bessie could now implement a roster, giving her three volunteers alternating days off. Jane spent her nights either in Joey’s room, with Daria, or at Dawson’s or Jen’s. Andie moved into Bessie’s room, but went home on her days off, to an empty house. Jack and her dad were on a father-son bonding road trip. She was happy for them, but incredibly lonely. Daria stayed put, but spent her days off wandering around Capeside. She began to see its appeal, but kept that to herself. She had an image to maintain, after all.

Meanwhile at the B&B, things were working a lot more smoothly. This was due in part to the fact that Jane could do what Daria could not, deal with irate guests. She had an unflappable attitude and ability to remain cool in a crisis (like say, being yelled at), that Daria envied. Contrary to popular belief, it was something she was yet to master. Meanwhile, Daria began to realise she and Andie had something pretty major in common. They both missed Joey quite intensely, made worse by sleeping in her room. She was able to keep this a secret from Andie, but not Jane.

Jane meanwhile, was proving to be quite the social butterfly, regarding certain other Capeside residents. She was spending quite a bit of time with Jen (who seemed to have gotten over her girl-crush on Daria) and Eve, and sleeping in Jack’s room in his absence. She didn’t trust Eve, but couldn’t quite put her finger on why. It may have had something to do with the fact that every time she was in the same room with Dawson, she couldn’t keep her hands off him. And he didn’t appreciate it, but he wasn’t good at asserting himself.

Speaking of Dawson, he had turned his bedroom into a dark room, to accommodate his new hobby; still photography. Jane was able to give quite a bit of advice to him, in spite of photography not being her medium. Meanwhile, Dawson was working on another project.

“What is it?” Daria asked Jane

“He won’t say anything more than its your idea and you’ll see it when its ready, not before”

Daria was intrigued, but willing to be patient. She was sure it would all make sense in due time.

* * *

One night, a month or so before the end of summer, Dawson, Jen and Eve were taking up their open invitation to have dinner at the Potter B&B any night they want. But this night was special. There were more guests than usual, and Dawson had an announcement. (All the time, Eve was playing footsie with Dawson under the table).

“So, you have an announcement?” Daria inquired, keeping her curiosity out of sight

“Yes, I do” Dawson said, and jumped several feet into the air (or so it seemed), upon feeling something (or someone) touching him somewhere rather sensitive

“But first, I should get a glass of water. Would anyone else like one?” In truth, Dawson was looking for an excuse to leave the room. He was overcome with nerves.

A few diners raised their hands and Jane followed him out of the room.

“Is everything alright?” Jane asked, starting to feel like this was her job

“Well, between worrying that everyone will laugh at me and worrying that any second, Eve is going to stick her tongue down my throat. Again...

I guess I’m a little nervous”

“You’re among friends” Jane assured him “And if Eve is bothering you so much, just say the word and I’ll have her run out of town”

“Honestly, I don’t mind the attention, or the making out. I just wish she’d respect my boundaries”

“Have you tried telling her this?”

“Every time I try, my brain gets high-jacked, by my...”

“Amigdala?” Jane offered

“Yeah, let's go with that”

“No one is going to laugh at you, and if you’re standing up on the other side of the room from Eve, maybe you wouldn’t be so nervous”

“Its worth a shot”

They returned to the dining room.

* * *

Eve shot Jane a dirty look, which Jane shot right back.

Dawson picked up a fork and tapped it against his glass, while Jane resumed her seat.

“So, as I was saying, I have an announcement”

His voice was still shaking, but much less than earlier. He realised he could get through this.

“After approximately two months of emails, phone calls, digging through archival footage of interviews, my latest project is nearing completion”

For some reason, Daria’s mind got stuck on the phrase _archival footage_.

“This work has been a labour of love, and a collaboration with another filmmaker, who unfortunately no longer lives in Capeside.”

This was all starting to sound eerily familiar to Daria, but she couldn’t work out why.

“And it was all the brainchild of a Miss Daria Morgendorffer. Stand up Daria”

She did so.

“Without you, this project never would have happened, so I’m going to give you a credit”

“Um, thanks” Daria said awkwardly. She still couldn’t work out what she had done.

“And I’m have a rough cut screening next Saturday night, in my backyard (provided the weather holds up) and you’re all invited”

Of the dozen or so B&B guests present, most would be checked out by that time. But a couple would still be there and Dawson really hoped they would come and it wouldn’t just be the usual suspects.

* * *

After dinner, Daria and the others were clearing the table. Dawson had offered to stay back and help out.

“So, are you going to tell me?” Daria said, trying hard to hold back her desperation

“Tell you what?” Dawson asked

“What my idea was?”

“You don’t remember?”

“Clearly not, or I wouldn’t be asking”

“Then I guess you’re just going to have to wait, like everyone else”

* * * * *


	10. It's not about the Stuff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve disapears, Jen and her Grandmother deal with the aftermath. Dawson and Deputy Doug try to comfort them as best they can (but its not their strong suits).

* * * * *

Jen awakened to discover that Eve wasn’t there. Her bed hadn’t been slept in. This wasn’t unusual, she had probably spent the night at Dawson’s. Jen didn’t mind, she just wished Eve had told her. The next thing Jen noticed was that her laptop and stereo were gone. She figured Eve had borrowed them and would bring them back when she was done. Again, she didn’t mind, she just wished Eve had given her a heads-up. Something told Jen something was off about this, but she suppressed this feeling.

She went downstairs and heard Grams crying. When she approached her room, she saw why. Her jewelry boxes and drawers were all open and empty. The feeling she was ignoring got stronger. This was more than odd, it was downright suspicious.

“I’ve looked everywhere” Grams said. “Its all gone. All of my jewelry, even your grandfather’s wedding ring”

“Let’s not jump to any conclusions” Jen said, comforting Grams, but also not wanting to get ahead of herself. “We don’t know what’s happened yet”

“I’ll tell you what’s happened. We’ve been robbed. Bring me the telephone, Jennifer” Grams said in a harsh tone. She wasn’t upset with Jen, just being firm. As it turned out, they didn’t need to make the call, thanks to the knock at the door.

It was Doug Witter, Pacey’s brother, and Capeside Police officer.

“Good morning Mrs Ryan, Miss Lindley. Could I come in?” He had a very serious tone.

Instead, Grams and Jen both moved to the front porch.

“Would you mind if we discussed the matter outside?” Grams asked

“Not at all”

“Because I have something to tell you”

“Let me guess, you’ve been robbed?”

* * *

The song _That I Would Be Good_ by Alanis Morrisette begins to play

“How did you know?” Jen asked. At this point, Jen was starting to piece together what was going on, but she didn’t like it one bit.

“Is Miss Whitman in at the moment?”

“No, she’s...”

“Disappeared?” Doug interrupted her

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“It was a fair guess, based on the facts”

“What facts?” Jen had a feeling she would regret asking, but she had to know

“You see, Miss Whitman isn’t who she claims to be”

Jen felt like the world was spinning and she began to feel nauseous and light-headed. She wasn’t sure how she was still standing, but she was also supporting Grams who was now crying openly.

The two women composed themselves.

“Go on” Jen asked

“You see your mother has had a lodger by the name of Cory Black, probably an alias, staying with her for the past couple weeks. When she woke up this morning, both he and a large amount of valuables were gone. We got a call this morning that Miss Whitman might try the same thing here. I’m sorry I arrived too late to do anything about it” The last sentence was spoken slowly and with a great deal of empathy.

* * *

Dawson woke up to discover his Camcorder and still camera gone. His parents were going to be angry, because they both actually belonged to his parents. He heard voices coming from next door, so he went to investigate.

He discovered Doug out the front talking to Jen and Grams, who both looked very upset. He was about to leave, when Doug spotted him.

“Mr Leery, just the young man I was looking for”

“What can I do for you?” Dawson was honestly confused at this point

“We’re just trying to piece together a few things. How did you first meet Miss Whitman?”

Pacey and I picked her up hitchhiking through New Jersey last August on our way back from Philadelphia”

“And exactly where did you pick up and drop off Miss Whitman?”

“I think we picked her up around Trenton and dropped her off outside Newark. Look, what’s all this about?”

“And did Miss Whitman say where she was heading?”

“New York, I think. What’s going on?” Dawson was curious, but also curious as to what had upset Jen and Grams so much.

“You see, Mr Leery, Miss Whitman is what we in law enforcement call a con artist”

The last two words seemed to really upset Jen and Grams, but they needed to hear them.

“Miss Whitman and her boyfriend, a Mr Cory Black, probably a pseudonym, managed to wrack up a sizable gambling debt in Atlantic city last year. Somewhere in the realm of $20, 000”

Grams and Jen took this much pretty well.

“For the next several months, Miss Whitman and Mr Black took up various low-paying jobs throughout Long Island under various pseudonyms. Eve White, Cory White, Eve Johnson, Cory Jones, Eve Harlow, Harry Black, Evelyn Lindley, Jennifer Ryan”

The last two names hit the two women particularly hard.

“Each of these jobs, in various diners, bars and nightclubs, ended in the same way. The two would empty the register and vanish, assuming new identities and appearances. The employer would wake up one day to find no evidence of forced entry and no sign of the two. The Nassau and Suffolk county PDs were stumped. This is where things get really interesting...”

Dawson was hanging off Doug’s every word. Jen and Grams were barely keeping it together.

“About two weeks before Miss Whitman’s appearance in Capeside, a woman matching her description was escorted out of a New York state registrar’s office in Manhattan. No charges were filed, but the women allegedly ‘intimidated staff, demanding to see birth records she claimed were hers’” Doug said, reading from a report

“Oh boy, I think I see where this is going” Jen interjected

“The birth records were sealed, but she claimed they related to her birth parents. You see, this woman claimed she was adopted, and claimed she had a right to see the records. However, the records were sealed and they couldn’t be shown to her. Two days later, there was a break in. The only thing taken was a single, sealed adoption record.”

“So you’re saying...” Dawson began, but then trailed off

“Our working theory is that she stole the records in order to pass herself off as your relative. To win your sympathy and confidence. Then when the time is right, disappear with your valuables...”

“And mine!” Dawson interjected, realizing the connection

“Missing something, Mr Leery?”

“Yeah, when I woke up, my camcorder and still camera were gone. Its kind of a relief to know that I didn’t...” Dawson stopped himself

After a few awkward seconds, Doug said the following

“Unfortunately, there’s no way of knowing who she really is”

“Yes there is” Jen said, dramatically

“She left behind the birth records, I can go inside and get them if you like”

“If you wouldn’t mind”

While Jen was gone, Grams decided to speak up

“You know what really gets my goat, Officer?”

Doug shrugged. He was going his best to be sympathetic, but honestly had no idea what the two of them were going through. This was about to change.

“Its just stuff and stuff can be replaced. Frankly, if she had just asked, I would have emptied my bank account for that young woman. Do you know why?”

Dawson and Doug stared at her blankly

“Because we took that woman, not just into our home, but into our hearts. She made us love her, like she was one of us. I’ve long believed that its the duty of every Christian to forgive and turn the other cheek to those who wrong us. After a betrayal like this, I don’t know if I will ever be able to forgive this. And not just for me, that woman also broke Jennifer’s heart. I think it will take her a long time to overcome this.”

Finally, Jen emerged from the house, with a red A4 envelope in hand. It said _State of New York, registrar_ _s_ _office_ on one side and on the other _Private and confidential. DO NOT OPEN UNTIL 01/03/2001_ on the other. It had been wax sealed, but the seal had been broken.

“I can’t, I just can’t” Jen said, and handed the envelope to Doug

“Do you want to know what it says?” He asked, making it quite clear that they had a choice

“Not really, but we need to know” Grams said

Doug carefully removed the documents from the envelope, well aware that this would later have to be entered into evidence.

“Okay, Date of Birth, January 3rd, 1979. Mother’s Name: Helen Ryan, Father’s Name: Not recorded

Adoptive Parent’s Names: Evan and Jessica Whitman. Child’s Adoptive Name: Evelyn Whitman”

Doug took a moment to absorb what he had read.

“She was telling the truth. Fancy that”

Grams started weeping loudly. Doug comforted her.

“Dawson, can we go for a walk?” Jen asked

“Sure”

 _That I would be Good_ plays again

When they were far enough away to be out of earshot, Jen turned to Dawson and said:

“I really don’t care about any of the stuff she took. But she was my sister and she broke my heart.”

“Yeah” Dawson said, awkwardly

“But how I feel isn’t really important right now. I really need to be there for Grams until Jack gets back”

“How you feel is important too”

“But I can take it Dawson. I’ve been through a lot in my life. I’m resilient”

“So is your Grams”

“Not as much as I thought. I mean look at her Dawson. Does that look like a woman that is okay?”

“I could say the same thing about you”

“And you’d be dead wrong”

“Jen, you’re feelings aren’t irrelevant. Not for me. Let me help you through this, the way you want to help Grams.”

“You have your screening tonight. You have to get ready...”

“I’ll cancel it”

“Don’t you dare. It goes on as scheduled and Grams and I will be there. It will be a good distraction for us”

“Okay. But just remember, I’m here for you”

“I know” she said, and they hugged

* * * * *


	11. The Test Screening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dawson shows a rough cut of his latest work to a group of friends and B&B guests. Jane has some suggestions and Daria, reluctantly, becomes a babysitter.

Dawson stood up in front of the group gathered in his yard. In attendance was Jen, Grams, Daria, Jane, Andie and a family from the B&B consisting of a mother, father and a girl, maybe nine or ten years old. It was a small group, but it was big enough for Dawson’s purposes.

“I’d like to thank you all for coming tonight. I hope you enjoy this work which has been almost a year in the making. I’d like to thank my partner Nikki, who couldn’t be here this evening. She and I have been working on this project for the past few months, in spite of being so many miles apart. What you are about to see is a documentary, a story about a particularly interesting period of Capeside history. I don’t think anyone who lived through it will forget it anytime soon.”

He took a deep breath.

“I’d like to remind you this is just a rough cut and if you have any suggestions for how to improve it, please let me know after the screening. We still need to track down some interviewees. You’ll see what that means when we get into it. I’d also like to thank someone who is here. Daria Morgendorffer. Daria, please stand up”

Daria did so

“This project was Daria’s idea, and that will be reflected in the credits”

Everyone gave Daria a round of applause, which caused her to blush slightly. The girl waved at Daria and she winked back.

“And now, without further ado, I’d like to present _The Artist, The Vandal and my Daddy_ (although that’s just a working title).”

The screening started.

Nikki appeared on screen.

“This is a story about my hero, my principal, my daddy. But also about much more. Its a story of art, and vandalism. (cut to a scene of the unveiling of said artwork)”

“Its a story of small town prejudice, but also of people standing up to it”

(we see scenes of an angry PTA meeting, and a protest)

“Its a story about a young artist (cue a picture of Joey) and the young man who destroyed her art (picture of Matt Caulfield)”

“Its the story of a School principal whose tenure lasted less than a school year (a scene of Principal Green waving goodbye)”

“Its a story about a High School (establishing shot of Capeside High) and a community (establishing shot of a ‘Welcome to Capeside’ sign, and b-roll of the town)”

“But above all else, its the story of people doing what they though was right”

Joey: this whole thing has been blown right out of proportion

Principal Green: damn right I’m angry, but I can’t show that anger to anyone, or they’ll use it against me

Superintendent: (reading from a document) To above all else, serve the interests of the Capeside School district…

Matt Caulfield: I’m rich, I’m white, that’s all I need

“Our story begins in early 2000, in a quiet unassuming town called Capeside, Massachusetts. Not much of note happens here, or has ever happened here. But for two weeks in early 2000, that changed quite drastically, And the town would be changed forever...”

* * *

After the screening, Dawson stood up and, after the applause died down, asked “Does anyone have any questions?”

Daria immediately raised her hand

“Excuse me, how was this my idea” She asked, mildly annoyed that she still couldn’t figure it out

“Do you remember when Joey explained what happened to you over the phone?”

“Yes”

“And what did you say afterwards?”

Daria racked her brain for a moment, trying to remember. But it was several months ago.

And then it came to her.

“I asked if the station still had all the footage, even though they didn’t end up using it. Joey said she thought so. So I said: _if someone could edit it together, they could make a, what’s the word…?”_

And Joey said ‘Documentary’

I replied: _I was going to say movie. Do you know anyone who might be interested in making one of those?_ ”

“You have to realise, this was several months ago. At any rate, I thought you did a pretty good job.”

The father of the little girl raised his hand

“Why didn’t you have any interviews with the artist or the student who vandalised her work?”

“Good question. The vandal in question declined to be interviewed, and threatened to sue us if we didn’t make certain changes to the film. We’ve been in negotiations for the past few months and its one of the reasons we’ve been delayed. As for the artist, she and her boyfriend (Dawson chocked on that word a little) are away for the summer, and we’re hoping to interview them when they get back”

Andie stomach knotted up a little upon hearing that. Jane wished she could be a fly on the wall during said interviews. Daria realised the implications of what Dawson had just said, but didn’t really give it a second thought.

The mother of the little girl raised her hand.

“Isn’t this account a little biased. I mean the Capeside School superintendent was only doing his job and responding to community concerns.”

The mood turned icy, but Dawson had expected this and already had an answer prepared.

“We tried as best we could to cover all perspectives. But you have to remember, we lived through this, so we very conscious of our own biases. We never claim to be unbiased, but we try to present all the views presented to us in context and we were very careful about the footage of the Superintendent in particular, not to take anything out of context.”

Andie raised her hand.

“I noticed you didn’t really talk about your own involvement in these events. Why is that?”

“I didn’t think it was particularly relevant and there were more important perspectives to cover. But I did note that I was a part of the protest and I mentioned a number of us, including you, by name. I can absolutely remove you if you want.”

Andie shook her head

Jane raised her hand.

“I have some suggestions about how you can improve it. In terms of things like editing and transitions.”

“We can talk about this afterwards. If there are no more questions…

(Dawson waited a couple of seconds)

Grams raised her hand

“I just wanted to say it was a very rousing and uplifting film, even if the ending was not the happiest”

“And on that note, I think we’ll wrap up”

* * *

After the screening, Jen and Grams were keen to head off, but before they did, Jen pulled Dawson aside for a moment.

“I also have some ideas, I’ll talk to you about them when I’m feeling up to it”

Dawson nodded in agreement

“Take your time. There’s no rush” and Jen departed

Jane then approached him and offered to help pack up

“Thanks. So, about your ideas…?”

“Let’s just pack up first, then we can talk about it”

Which they did. First they packed away the chairs, then the projector and the screen which went back to his room and then they sat and talked for what seemed like a very long time.

Meanwhile, the parents of the little girl, Daria had now realized she had met before, approached her.

“You must be Daria. I’m Alicia and this is my husband Darren”

Daria reluctantly shook their hands. She wondered what they could possibly want from her. They didn’t look like they wanted to complain. In fact, they looked like they wanted to ask a favour.

“Amanda has taken quite a shine to you”

“I suppose so” Daria replied noncommittally

“We were wondering, you see this is our last night in Capeside and we were hoping to spend it together and we wanted to know...”

“Would you babysit her?”

“We could pay you, how does $50 for the night sound?”

“How about $70?” In truth, Daria would have settled for 50, but she didn’t want to seem like a soft touch.

The husband took out his wallet and placed the money in her hand, before she knew what was going on. So Daria was now a babysitter once again.

Daria didn’t feel like walking all the way back to the B&B, so she approached Dawson to explain the situation.

“Of course you can stay the night.” he said naturally

Daria then gave the Leery family’s number to the parents and explained that this is where they would be if they needed to get in touch.

* * *

The girl, who Daria eventually remembered was called Amanda looked through the bookshelf in the living room and eventually picked out a book. She handed it to Daria and said “Read to me”. It was not a request.

The book was _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn_ by Mark Twain.

“This is a story of, well you’re smart, I’m sure you can figure out the lesson yourself”

Daria would never admit this, but she enjoyed being with someone on her level intellectually, someone who could think for themselves, unlike most people. This girl wasn’t there yet, but she would be soon enough, if Daria had anything to do with it…


	12. Déjà vu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daria and Jane finally return to Lawndale and reflect on the events of the past summer.

The day had come for Daria and Jane to return to Lawndale. Andie drove them to the bus station.

“Well, this is familiar” Daria said

“Wow, _Déjà vu_ ” Andie said at about the same time

Jane looked confused

“Sorry, private joke” Daria said

“Now, let’s try this again” she added

They arrived at the bus station with plenty of time to spare. Nevertheless, Andie felt quite emotional saying goodbye to them. They had been through a lot these past few months.

She went to hug Jane, who reciprocated

She went to hug Daria, who was hesitant, however, she eventually relented

“Ah, what the hell” she said

“Wow, _Déjà vu_ ” Jane said

Andie looked confused

“Sorry, private joke” Jane said

“Have a safe trip home you guys”

“Alright, what is it?” Daria asked

“What’s on your mind, McPhee. Out with it”

“Its just…

Joey and Pacey will be getting back in a couple of weeks and then school starts back and I have a lot of mixed feelings about seeing them again and…

Am I making any sense?”

“Jane, you can field this one” Daria said

“You’re a smart girl. I’m sure you’ll figure out what to do when the time comes. Daria, would you like to add anything?”

There was a certain amount of annoyance in the last part, but it wasn’t directed at Andie.

“Only that your options haven’t changed. You can be happy for them or not, jealous or not, sabotage their relationship or not. Decide on a course of action and stick to it”

“Thanks. You guys are the best. Good luck with college”

“Actually, I’m going to art school, Daria’s going to college, but thanks for the kind words amiga”

“Good luck with your college applications. If you need help, ask Jodie. She lives for that stuff” Daria said, with just a hint of mischief, which Andie missed, but Jane did not.

And with that they waved goodbye and were gone. This would not be their last encounter, nor the last time the two Lawndalers would visit Capeside, but it would be for a long time.

* * *

Andie returned home to what she expected to be an empty home. Instead, she heard a noise, and was worried for a moment, someone had broken in.

Instead, to her delight, she saw her dad and Jack standing behind the kitchen counter, deep in conversation. Upon seeing her, that deep conversation ended abruptly.

“Daddy! Jack! Good to see you again. How was your trip?”

And she hugged them both for several seconds

“It was really good. How was your summer?” Jack asked

“I heard you worked at the Potter’s B&B. How was the experience?” Mr McPhee asked in a somewhat formal tone.

“Well, let me tell you about it...” she began

* * *

“Be honest Morgendorffer, this was the best summer of your life, wasn’t it?”

“Let’s not go overboard. I’ll settle for ‘not bad’”

“You became somebody’s muse”

“You fine tuned the idea”

“You got a summer job”

“Which was only bearable because you were there”

“You became a babysitter”

“Okay, that part didn’t suck, but if you tell anyone, our friendship is officially over”

“And to top it all off, you got to spend it with your best pal in the entire world, moi”

“Don’t let that go to your head, or anything”

“Do you have anything positive to say about this summer?”

“You tell me, how was **your** summer, Lane?”

“Me, I had a grand old time. I got to work on my people skills, work for food, help a friend with their art and play third wheel to a pair of sisters, one of whom turned out to be a con artist, but also a real sister”

“I think that sums it up pretty well”

“Gracias, amiga”

* * *

Jake was kind enough to pick up the two girls from the Lawndale bus station. It was a landmark Daria would become quite familiar with over the years.

“How was your summer girls?”

“Great Mr M, I joined a cult, had an orgy and got addicted to drugs” Jane said

Jake burst out laughing. Daria looked shocked.

“What, you think old Jakey can’t tell when he’s being ribbed?”

“Let it never be said that Jake Morgendorffer doesn’t have a sense of humor” Jane said.

Daria shot him a death stare. Jane shot back an look of faux innocence. This non-verbal exchange went way over Jake’s head.

* * *

“Thanks for the ride Mr M” Jane said as she got out of the car

“Anytime. You know you’re like family to us” Jake said before driving off

Daria and Jane were shocked, but pleased at this remark

* * *

“Hey Janey” Trent said

“Trent, how was your summer?”

“Not very interesting. The band played a few shows, broke up and got back together a few times. Me and Monique did the same thing. More or less what I expected. You?”

“I got to work in a five star resort, for no money, but on the plus side, I had to live on the premises”

“Sounds pretty dull”

“It was. Those places are always less interesting when you’re on the other side of the counter”

* * *

“So, how was your summer sweetheart?” Jake asked Daria

“Well, I had a job, but I didn’t get paid”

“That really stinks, Daria”

“It was okay. I got food and board”

“What kind of board?”

“The kind you sleep on. Its big and flat and hard” Daria said jokingly

“Oh, board, I get it.”

“But on the plus side, I become someone’s muse”

“Eeeeewwww”

“Wait, what’s a muse?”

“It means I inspired someone”

“That’s great kiddo. Now, there was something I was supposed to tell you” Jake said as he pulled into the driveway.

“What was it again…?”

“I’m sure it’ll come to you”

* * *

 _Ashes to Ashes_ by Faith No More began to play as Daria entered the house to see a stern looking Helen and a slightly downbeat Quinn.

“Before you say anything, for the record, during this summer, I didn’t join a cult, have sex, and not a drop of alcohol passed through these lips”

Only one of those things was a lie, and only because Jane tricked Daria. The results were, let’s say, interesting.

“You aren’t in trouble. I’m happy you had an adventure during the summer. Hopefully you grew as a person and are now ready for college” Helen said

“Then what’s with the serious looks?”

“Your sister has her PSATs coming up and I thought it would be a good idea for you to tutor her”

“But mo-oooom” Quinn objected

“Now, Quinn, we’ve already been through this. If you don’t get a good score, you won’t get into a good college and your life will be ruined. Daria, you will not let that happen to your sister” Helen said sternly

“What’s in it for me?” Daria asked

“Quinn, go to your room”

Quinn knew exactly what was about to happen, so she went halfway up the stairs and tried to eavesdrop. Helen caught her and made her go the rest of the way.

“$100 now, and $100 after she passes, but only if she passes”

“She will, I’ll make sure of it. How about $50 now and $200, if and when she passes, and on the off chance she doesn’t, you only pay a further 50?”

“Done” And they shook on it

In truth, Daria wouldn’t have minded the first offer, but she didn’t want her mother thinking she had gone soft. She had to keep Helen on her toes.

In truth, Helen did think Daria was going soft, but also saw it as a point of pride that she clearly wanted her sister to pass, and not just because of the money.

* * *

A couple of weeks later, Jane and Daria went off to Art School and College respectively. Their lives were about to change in ways they could not yet imagine.

Meanwhile, in a couple of weeks, Joey and Pacey would return to Capeside and then they and their friends would begin their senior year of High School. Interesting times were ahead all around.


End file.
